Short Term Rental (STR) | Page #15

Short Term Rental (STR)

Keeping your Orlando vacation rental clean is essential to keep your property looking its best for holiday guests. House cleaning is a big chore, so it’s a wise investment to hire someone else to do the work for you – especially if you don’t live in the area. 

Hiring cleaning help for a short-term rental property is NOT the same as hiring someone to clean your own home. The biggest difference is that cleaning a vacation properly requires a keen attention to detail. The cleaner should notice whether anything has been damaged by a guest, or if anything is missing. It’s also helpful for them to ensure that everything is stocked up for the next renter. 

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when looking for a cleaning service that will set you up for…

Windsor Hills pool slide

Windsor Hills, a 5-star Orlando vacation home resort community, is adding dueling slides and a new children’s interactive water feature. The multi-million dollar pool enhancement project is designed to help the Kissimmee resort stay competitive with other communities in the area.

The pool enhancement project is focused on the north section of the pool deck and should be completed by the end of January, 2018. Windsor Hills will attempt to keep pool closures to a minimum during construction. Updated information on the project will be available in the Welcome Center.

The project includes the following enhancements:

1. The existing hot tub will be removed and replaced with a children’s interactive water feature.

2. A new spa/hot tub will…

Orlando is a popular tourist destination, which is why buying a second home to use as a vacation rental can be a lucrative investment. Many people advertise their homes in websites like FlipKey, HomeAway and VRBO. That makes it important for you to create a compelling description so your short-term rental property stands out from the competition. 

Here are a few top tips to follow so you have the best chance of renting your home consistently. 

Put your guest first 

When you sit down to write the description, put yourself in your guest’s shoes. What would they want to know most about your property?  Your goal is to provide key information about your home and give the reader a sense of what it’s like to live there. Focus on the features that would…

There are many decisions to be made when choosing to rent your Orlando vacation home on a short-term basis to holiday travelers. Some of these include whether to hire a property manager, how you should advertise your rental home, and the rental fee itself. Another decision to make is how much to charge your guests for a security deposit. 

The security deposit helps to protect your short-term vacation rental. The challenge is figuring out the right balance between enough money to cover potential damages and a small enough fee that will put renters at ease. 

No matter how long a rental agreement you set, whether it’s one or two nights, or two weeks, it’s crucial that you include everything you need to protect your investment. It’s always smart to…

It’s no secret that Orlando is a popular holiday destination for families. As the theme park capital of the world, parents and children come from all over the globe every year to see Mickey Mouse and experience the magic of Hogwarts at Universal Studios. 

Many of these families come for an extended stay, which makes owning a vacation home a smart investment since you can offer it as a short-term rental to accommodate these visitors. Vacation rentals are more affordable for families who plan longer visits than it would be to stay in a hotel. 

So, how can Orlando vacation rental owners ensure that families choose their property for a holiday visit? 

Simply specifying “children welcome” on a vacation home listing website is not enough to ensure a…

The market for Orlando holiday rental homes is booming, so it can be challenging to make your property stand out from the competition. One way you can appeal to holiday guests is to install home automation features that improve your home’s comfort, style and convenience.

Home automation does require an initial investment. But you can recoup the money spent by marketing your property as a “smart home” which will attract more renters, and allow you to charge more per day.

Here are a few ways you can add automation to your home to make your property more attractive in today’s competitive holiday rental market.

Home Automation to Increase Comfort and Convenience

Smart Lighting Systems – Rental guests can control the light fixtures throughout the…

There’s no denying that Orlando is a popular travel destination, thanks to theme parks like Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World. As a result, a vacation home owner has to compete with many other properties in the area for holiday guests. We’ve shared some ideas on how to attract rental guests in a previous article: 

How to Make Your Vacation Home Stand Out from the Competition 

Allowing guests to bring their pets to your home is an excellent way to differentiate yourself from other vacation rental properties. Nearly 65 percent of U.S. households own a pet, and many of them wouldn’t dream of leaving their dog or cat behind when they travel. Many of these people wind up staying at pet-friendly hotels because few vacation rentals allow pets…

Owners of Orlando vacation home rentals know that it’s important to set up house rules for their guests.Holiday travelers need to know what’s expected of them during their stay so there is no confusion, and to ensure that your property is well-cared for during their stay.

Laying out clear house rules is a professional way of stating what your guests can and cannot do during their stay, and what penalties will occur if they break the rules.

Your rules can be written in a formal language or you can have some fun with them if that suits your personality better. The style itself doesn’t matter, but the content should address these key areas:

What to Include in Your Orlando Vacation Rental House Rules

Opening Statement

The opening paragraph…

One of Orlando’s newest and largest vacation home destinations has been honored by the Orlando Business Journal in the Top Hospitality Project category. The Grove Resort & Spa was recognized as the best project in the OBJ’s 2017 Structures Awards.

The competition was open to new construction and existing structures including hotels, vacation club or timeshare properties. The Orlando Business Journal based its decision on project size, value, jobs created, real estate performance, as well as the project’s distinctive features.

Project Director Kevin Mays said in a release, “We could not be more pleased to have The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando honored with such a prestigious award.” BTI Partners developed the resort as a way to combine lifestyle,…

When it comes to buying vacation homes in Orlando, there is a wide variety of properties and communities from which to choose. If you’re purchasing a home as an investment to rent out to holiday travelers, you might consider one of the resort communities such as Homestead at Reunion Resort. 

Resorts are popular as short-term rentals because they provide vacationers with many of the same amenities they’d find at a world-class hotel, but for less money. And a home provides much more space for travelers, especially large families since everyone can have more privacy, and they can save money by taking advantage of a kitchen in which to cook their meals. 

Homestead at Reunion Resort is one of the more popular vacation home communities. You’ll find homes…